Plastic plants that killed my guppies!

Hi all,

I am a newbie fish and aquarium owner and I think my plastic plants are
killing my beloved guppies... or at least contributed to it.

Here's my sequence of events.
1) New tank setup. 21L tropical temp., small filter box. Crushed quartz rock
bottom.
2) Let tank sit for a week, filter and heater running.
3) Added two guppies.. everything fine.
4) Two days later, I added 1 more guppy and some plastic plants.

One guppy died two days later with no visible signs of disease, although his
gills were flarring a little.

At this point I did a 15% water change (not much really). I also took out
the plastic plants as a precaution, however as I took out the plastic
plants, I put them to my nose and noticed that they really smelled bad...
like cheap plastic.

The next day, a guppies tail went from dark colours to transparent, and then
the tail dissapeared altogether (this happened in single day). I took him
out of the tank to put him out of his misery... he was also swimming head
down as if his swim bladder wasn't working.

At this point I hit the Net, and saw people recommending water changes. I
performed a whopping 50% water change and as I did so, I could smell plastic
plant in the water. It was so strong it made me dry reach. Hopefully the
new water will help... however, I can still smell plastic in the water...
and suspect I'll be doing water changes until I get rid of the smell (Note:
I have no charcol in filter.... yet)

I don't think the remaining guppy was happy with the last water change (I
added some stress coat - ph and temp. normal), his gills seem to be open or
flared and I can actually see the red insides.

My last remaining guppies tail looks a little whiteish, and I'm starting to
worry that it will also lose it's tail.

I am upset that I have harmed my fishies... I really want what's best for
them.

- Peter

"Peter Wilson" wrote in message
u...
| Hi all,
|
| My last remaining guppies tail looks a little whiteish, and I'm
starting to
| worry that it will also lose it's tail.
|
| I am upset that I have harmed my fishies... I really want what's
best for
| them.
|
| - Peter
|
|
I've always preferred live plants, there are many that are simple to
care for, and look better, anyway

Adding carbon may help remove some of the contamination, if indeed
that's what's going on. I'm curious what "filter box" is, what kind
of filter is it.?

Is the cycle complete? Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels?


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You have to cycle the tank.

Peter Wilson wrote:

Hi all,

I am a newbie fish and aquarium owner and I think my plastic plants are
killing my beloved guppies... or at least contributed to it.

Here's my sequence of events.
1) New tank setup. 21L tropical temp., small filter box. Crushed quartz rock
bottom.
2) Let tank sit for a week, filter and heater running.
3) Added two guppies.. everything fine.
4) Two days later, I added 1 more guppy and some plastic plants.

One guppy died two days later with no visible signs of disease, although his
gills were flarring a little.

At this point I did a 15% water change (not much really). I also took out
the plastic plants as a precaution, however as I took out the plastic
plants, I put them to my nose and noticed that they really smelled bad...
like cheap plastic.

The next day, a guppies tail went from dark colours to transparent, and then
the tail dissapeared altogether (this happened in single day). I took him
out of the tank to put him out of his misery... he was also swimming head
down as if his swim bladder wasn't working.

At this point I hit the Net, and saw people recommending water changes. I
performed a whopping 50% water change and as I did so, I could smell plastic
plant in the water. It was so strong it made me dry reach. Hopefully the
new water will help... however, I can still smell plastic in the water...
and suspect I'll be doing water changes until I get rid of the smell (Note:
I have no charcol in filter.... yet)

I don't think the remaining guppy was happy with the last water change (I
added some stress coat - ph and temp. normal), his gills seem to be open or
flared and I can actually see the red insides.

My last remaining guppies tail looks a little whiteish, and I'm starting to
worry that it will also lose it's tail.

I am upset that I have harmed my fishies... I really want what's best for
them.

- Peter